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In the Bleak Midwinter / Christina Rossetti
"In the Bleak Midwinter" is a Christmas carol based on a poem by English poet Christina Rossetti. In the Bleak Midwinter In the bleak mid-winter Frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, Water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, Snow on snow, In the bleak mid-winter Long ago. Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him Nor earth sustain; Heaven and earth shall flee away When He comes to reign: In the bleak mid-winter A stable-place sufficed The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ. Enough for Him, whom cherubim Worship night and day, A breastful of milk And a mangerful of hay; Enough for Him, whom angels Fall down before, The ox and ass and camel Which adore. Angels and archangels May have gathered there, Cherubim and seraphim Thronged the air, But only His mother In her maiden bliss, Worshipped the Beloved With a kiss. What can I give Him, Poor as I am? If I were a shepherd I would bring a lamb, If I were a wise man I would do my part, Yet what I can I give Him, Give my heart.Christina Rossetti, "In the Bleak Midwinter," About.com, Web, July 16, 2011. History Rossetti wrote the original poem in 1872 in response to a request from the magazine Scribner's Monthly for a Christmas poem."In the Bleak Midwinter" at Cyber Hymnal It was published posthumously in Rossetti's Poetic Works in 1904, and became a Christmas carol after it appeared in The English Hymnal in 1906 with a setting by Gustav Holst. In 2008 Harold Darke's setting was named the best Christmas carol in a poll of some of the world's leading choirmasters and choral experts.Bleak Midwinter named best carol, bbc.co.uk, 27 November 2008 Synopsis In verse one, Rossetti describes the physical circumstances of the Incarnation in Bethlehem. In verse two, Rossetti contrasts Christ's first and second coming. The third verse dwells on Christ's birth and describes the simple surroundings, in a humble stable and watched by beasts of burden. Rossetti achieves another contrast in the fourth verse, this time between the incorporeal angels attendant at Christ's birth with Mary's ability to render Jesus physical affection. This verse is omitted in the Harold Darke setting. The final verse shifts the description to a more introspective thought process. Darke repeats the last line in his setting. Hymnologist and theologian Ian Bradley has questioned the poem's theology: "Is it right to say that heaven cannot hold God, nor the earth sustain, and what about heaven and earth fleeing away when he comes to reign?"Rupert Christiansen, "The story behind the carol: In the bleak midwinter", Daily Telegraph, 14 December 2007 Musical Settings The text of this Christmas poem has been set to music many times, the most famous settings being composed by Gustav Holst and Harold Edwin Darke in the early 20th century. Holst's setting, "Cranham", is a hymn tune setting suitable for congregational singing. The hymn is titled after Cranham, Gloucestershire and was written for the English Hymnal of 1906.The English Hymnal (Oxford University Press, 1916), p. 44. .Shnugget: Carols at Cranham, BBC Gloucestershire. The Darke setting, written in 1909 while he was a student at the Royal College of Music, is more advanced and each verse is treated slightly differently, with solos for soprano and tenor (or a group of sopranos and tenors) and a delicate organ accompaniment. This version is favoured by cathedral choirs, and is the usually heard performed on the radio broadcasts of Nine Lessons and Carols by the King's College Choir. Darke served as conductor of the choir during World War II.In the Bleak Midwinter, Hymns and Carols of Christmas. Benjamin Britten includes a setting for chorus in his work "A Boy Was Born". Other 20th century settings include Thomas B. Strong, Bruce Montgomery, Bob Chilcott, Eric Thiman, who wrote a setting for solo voice and piano, and Leonard Lehrman.The Lied, Art Song, and Choral Texts Page References External links ;Text * "In the Bleak Mid-winter" ;Song * Free sheet music of 'In the Bleak Midwinter' for SATB from Cantorion.org ;Audio/video *"In the Bleak Midwinter" by Loreena McKennitt ;About Category:Christmas carols Category:Victorian poetry Category:Text of poem Category:1872 poems Category:19th-century poems Category:English poems